Hunters and Hard Workers

People in this State love the great outdoors. That love is ingrained in the soul of the Wisconsinite. I feel it in my soul because I am one of you. We feel a call, a natural force that drives us to utilize and cherish the natural world around us. Its fruits, creatures, landscapes, serenity and the bonds we form between each other in our journey to embrace this call to the wild. An appreciation for the beauty and bounty of the agriculture produced locally. An honor around preserving and respecting this ecosystem so future generations can carry on our traditions and reconcile that calling in their heart to the life they were destined to live as outdoorsmen. Hunt, fish, trap, camp, bird watch, swim, hike, bike, snowmobile, ride ATVs or maybe just sit by the lake reading a book. No matter what your thing is, this State has a lot to offer. These activities are vital to the pursuit of happiness and quality of life for many Wisconsinites.

There are many legislative measures which could potentially affect the lives of Wisconsin outdoorsmen. Infringement and inconvenience upon your rights to bear arms as guaranteed by the 2nd Amendment. When and where you can carry a firearm. Restrictions around transportation, storage and purchasing of firearms, ammunition and accessories. You ever think about eminent domain or civil asset forfeiture? How about fish and wildlife management or environmental policy? I know my fellow hunters care deeply about the health of fish and game and the surrounding ecosystem. I support the use of public lands for hunting as well as hunting and fishing in National Parks. I support States rights. Individual States can manage their own affairs in regards to natural resources and wildlife. If an issue affects multiple States, they can coordinate among themselves for each other's mutual benefit. We will attack the Asian carp problem encroaching in our water ways. We will delist the Gray Wolf and allow the locals to get the problem under control without the triple S. Judges and bureaucrats in Washington need to stay out of our business! We need to return power to the States across the board. Citizens are closer to their local representatives and have a greater ability to influence local and regional policy. Lets return that lobbying power to the people!

Any issue that affects your gun ownership rights, policy that influence game in your area, use of public lands, control over your private property or any other concerns you may have, I'm going to be there looking out for you and your interests. Show up for me and I will show up for you!

INFRASTRUCTURE

America needs a big bipartisan win and luckily infrastructure projects are a shared bipartisan goal and a win for all Americans. Many hunters, guys and gals I know work in industries that would see a boom from infrastructure projects. I will ensure that this investment not only benefits densely populated urban or suburban areas, but rural as well. Many comforts city folks take for granted are not always as comfortable in rural areas all around this country. Water filtration and delivery, schools, roads, bridges and many other issues can affect individuals more harshly in rural communities. Folks like my Grandparents, many other members of my family, friends, hunters and hell, folks I care about all over the state. There are many other concerns that we do not see daily in Wisconsin but affect our fellow Americans livelihood and us as well through goods and services we consume. Ports, levees and structures that affect the fishing industries on the coasts and water delivery systems in dryer areas of the country to name a few. This is a very important issue for our country over the next decade or longer and we need to start cooperating on this issue, educating ourselves and getting excited about it! The Senate committee on the Environment and Public Works has some of the best relationships across the aisle, shared goals and understanding of how important infrastructure is to our health, happiness, and economy in both the short and long term. They have been bringing in experts, leaders and citizens to talk about infrastructure concerns and I’ve been following right along and am ready to get working. I hope to play a big part in working with them to bring the most efficient, environmentally sound and economically beneficial solutions to the American infrastructure. Although I am hawkish about the debt, we unfortunately are in spend money to save money mode. The American Society of Civil Engineers estimates that we will lose 3.9 million from US GDP, 2.5 million US jobs and $7 Trillion (yes, Trillion) in lost business sales by 2025 if we fail to take serious actions and continue to waste money on repairs and short-term solutions that endanger American health, happiness, property and prosperity. We will not fail, we will execute on this project.

Something I am especially passionate about and would fight to have at the top of our priorities list is our water infrastructure, as well as our wastewater systems. Water is the essence of life and having treated drinking water is a key to a healthy life. Trillions of gallons of drinking water are wasted every year because of pipe leaks and breaks. Much of our water infrastructure was created 75-100 years ago and has or is about to exceed its intended life span.

Take a step back and think about this: It is 2017, I am running for office in the United States of America (greatest country on earth) and I am running on a platform promising clean water. How did we get here? I have no interest in answering that question, only answering the question of how we best move forward and deliver clean water to all Americans in the most efficient way possible.

Let’s get together, spend this money to save money while creating American jobs, utilizing American goods, teach new vocations and help get unemployed, underemployed and those reentering into society from prison into good paying jobs. Continue to grow the lower class and lower-middle classes and empower upward mobility across our economy. Our economy is already growing, with 3% GDP growth already a reality and estimated 3.5% or even 4% projected in the near future. With infrastructure spending we could continue to boost many sectors of our economy and keep the train rolling. We’re talking about many sectors from raw materials, manufacturing, tourism, shipping and transportation economies, construction, architecture, engineering and all forms of energy. When these sectors thrive, we all thrive downstream. Allow our young scientific and spatially gifted minds to flourish for a task that needs their education, experience and innovation to move us forward. Pave the way toward less congested highways, safe and modern airports, ports with proper capacity and scale, inland waterway improvements for smooth and safe transportation of goods, update our dams, bridges, rails or maybe create floating cities, modern energy efficient settlements and hyperloop? You never know. There is a lot of chance to rebuild, reimagine and innovate. Allow mechanical and civil engineers, urban planners and environmentalists to create efficient structures, flows and processes. Invest in renewable energy sources in areas with energy sector competencies and stabilize regional employment for those that work the energy sector, reaping the benefits over time. There are certainly a lot of innovative directions that we can take this thing and we need everyone working towards a common goal for the future!

We need to tackle this issue with all hands on deck approach and a proud, optimistic attitude that we are rebuilding the core of what binds us as Americans. As we have seen recently and over the course of American history, no force is stronger than American optimism, patriotism and our belief in each other. With Federal, State, municipal cooperation as well as private contributions and investment we will solve short term problems and plan for long term solutions. We will make fair and transparent decisions about who gets contracts, terms of those contracts, where to best utilize our funding and the most appropriate order. I intend to explore cost matching projects with the States, funded by sustainable debt, tax receipts and existing funds to share in the States plans to rebuild America by rebuilding their States. I will ensure funding will be shared equally no matter the voting demographic of those in that State. This is an American issue, not a partisan one and we need to keep it that way.

We also need to stop tearing down rich people and corporations. We need them to get their money repatriated into the country, out in the open, into society projects with their names on it. We need to celebrate the charity of others again and I believe that will have a snowball effect. It is simple: sponsoring big projects will be self-rewarding for its benefactors either through business or pride and accolades. Some politicians shake their tin cup for donations to their campaigns, I’m gonna shake the hell out of my tin cup for donations to societal projects! Unleash me in that capacity and you will not think twice about voting for me again in 6 years. I will hustle money for your benefit, not mine. I have no shame if it comes to fighting for your interests. If businesses are donating to projects that benefit society, providing job training to employees and committing to their people, consumers will respond with their business. This type of capitalism isn’t driven by Government control, it is shaped by consumer behavior and if we can rally around that as a consumer strategy I think we are at a great point in American history where we can bring people together, boost business, commit to the beauty of our surroundings while benefiting the commonwealth. Maybe we can even combine major donations with crowdfunding campaigns. Small and mid-sized contributions really add up, look at what JJ Watt did. Utilize our interconnected world! This doesn't require legislation, it requires organization, cooperation, sponsorship and participation. And that is exactly what I plan to do.

I believe in the connections and continuity of the natural world, our rights as Americans, the environment, American Patriotism, land utilization, diversified energy policies, non-forced economic cooperation, clean water for all and the efficient execution of improving the future of this country for all Americans.